Objective: Using the objective detection devices to explore the physical activity status in order to provide evidence related to the physical activity intervention program on child obesity in elementary students.
Methods: Subjects were elementary students from grades 1-5 of 4 schools in Haidian and Dongcheng districts, Beijing. After measuring their height and weight, an motion sensor was applied to measure physical activities in these 379 pupils.
Results: Time on moderate to vigorous physical activities (MVPA) among pupils was 74.09 min and the ratio of meeting the recommended time of physical activity was 68.9%. The MVPA time in males (79.46 min) was more than that in females (66.07 min) (P<0.05), with the ratio of meeting the recommended physical activity time in males (78.0%) also larger than that in females (55.3%) (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between low age group and high age group (P>0.05), however, there showed significant difference in light physical activity time among the normal group, overweight group and the obese group (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference found in MVPA time among the three groups (P>0.05).
Conclusion: The ratio of meeting the recommend physical activity time was low. MVPA time should be increased to guarantee the athletic effects and to improve the health status in the pupils.